Coin collector



Jan- 5, 1932. c. H. WHEELER com COLLECTOR 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed April 17, 1930 Jan. 5, 1932. c. H. WHEELER COIN COLLECTOR Filed April 17, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 #W5/v70@ C. H WHEELER ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 5, 1932 CLYDE H. WHEELER, yoF VWon'rnivnxrxre, yNEW .iERsEmAssIGNon ToBELL TELEPHONE LABORATORIES, iNooRronATnn, oF Nnw .Yoran-Nfl, .A CORPORATION .for NEW Yeni:Y

' Appne'afioii inea Apinvv 17,-

This invention relates to'coin operated4 devices and'more particularly to coin operated signaling devices-r such used in telephone pay stations.

A common form of signaling apparatus; usedin telephone pay stationsy or the like comprises a housing with a pluralityl of apertures, each adapted to accommodate Aacoin of one denomination: and coin chutesl and signal gongs within the housing. `The signal gongs are usually mounted onthe inner walls of the'housingj When a coin is deposited in one of the apertures, it travels along the chute determinedV by the denomination of the coin, andstrikes a signal gong. The sound thus produced'is carried through the medium of the surrounding air and through the housing itself tothe transmitter and thence transmitted to the operatori at a distant central oliice. y W'hen the operator hears the sound, she is informed that the required coin has been deposited. v .f

' An object of this invention is to prevent fraudulent manipulation of` thel signal gongs. i Y

Another object of the `invention is to elim-v inate acoustic coupling between the transmitter and the housing,

A further object of the invention is to greatly reduce the microphonic character-v istics of the Vcoin collector as a wholeand thereby decrease its susceptibility toextraneous noises and disturbances. y

In accordance with this invention the sig'- nal gongs in common with thetransmitter are mounted upon arelatively `heavy inertia member which in turn is supportedfwithin the housing by cushioning members# The cushioning members establish a non-acoustic coupling between the housing and the transmitter, between the transmitter and 'the coin chutes, and effectively prevent the actuation of the signals by blows struck onthe housing. The transmitter is separated from the relatively heavy inertia membenby means of a Washer yofnon-acoustic material, the thickness of which may be varied so that the degree of acoustic coupling betweenftlie two may be adjusted. A Anon-acoustic coupling also connects the transmitter to the mouth# the side *wall of kconv coLLnoron- 1930. serial No. 445,081'.` .Y l

noises to the transmitter through the housing and also disturbing noises caused by` coins traveling alongthe chutes.

' Referring to the drawings: Y

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a coin collection device embodying this invention with moved. y

lFig. 211s arear elevation of the same device withV the backboard of the housing re' Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of that portion'ofthe inertial member shown in iFig. 3 lookingl the housing partially re-l PATENT-f oI-Ficrr from the back of the coin collection device and two ofl the coupling members partially in section, shown attached to a wall of the housing.

`throughout the several views..`

- rFor the purpose of illustrating the invention it is shown as applied to a coin collector of the-.type disclosed in Patent 1,043,219to O. F. Forsberg wherein the coin chute 2 depends from the upper wall'of the housing 1 and is associated with the usual coin gauge 3 mounted on the outside thereof. y

Mounted within the metallic Vhousing 1 by means of coupling members 10 is a rela-v tively heavy Vinertia member comprising parts 9 and 17 (seeFigs. 1 and2). For the sake of brevity, part 17 shall hereafter be referred toas inertia member 17 and .part 9 as frame 9, although it should be kept in mindy that parts 91 and 17 'together onstitute the relatively heavy inertia memeI',. y v

.Inertia member* 17 which is disposed in front of the coin chute 2y and spacedtherefrom is a relatively heavy metal casting in f the front of which (see Fig. 3) is a circular a' screw 29Ais a-transmitter 26. The transg mitter thusmounted isremoved from the t" front of the housing to a point where it is out of possible contact with the exterior (see Fig. 1). Lining S30-and washer 40 (see Fig. 3) of felt or other similar material separate the transmitter 26 and the screw 29 respectively from the inertia member 17. The separation of the transmitter 26 and the inertia member 17 may be varied by loosening or tightening the screw 29 and thus also varying the thickness of the lining 30. B-y this arrangement there is providedA a variable coupling between these two members whereby the degree of acoustic coupling between the two may be varied thereby adjustin the volume and overhang of the trans- HutterI gong tone.

Olathe rear of. inertia member 17 (seeFigs. 3 andf4)v are two bosses 15 and 16 which pro- ]'ctt to the opposite side of the coin chute 2 to support the frame 9 out of contact with the chute. Frame 9 is made of material similar to` inertia member 17 and together they constitute the relatively heavy inertia member. Frame 9 possesses two extensions 44 and 45 (see Figs. 1 and 2) which are adapted to support the signal gongs 7 and 8 respectively by means of machinepscrews 11 and 12.

The coupling members 10 which support the inertia member 17 Within the housing are'nttached to said inertia member by means of threaded members 18 which are screwed into. the inertia member 17. Lock nuts 20 hold the threaded members 18 in place.

` Other nuts 21, spaced apart from nuts 20 Sauve as stops for washers 22. Adjacent the Outer side of washers 22 on threaded members 18 and extending beyond the ends of said members are members 23 of sponge rubber or other shock absorbing material. Enclosing said rubber member-s 23 are metal casings 24, On the back of theV casings 24 ane studs 25 (see Fig. 4) which fit into derossions in bosses 50 on the inner walls of iiouaing 1. Nuts 21 on the threaded members 18- am so adjusted that the inertia member 17 is suspended properly within the housing.l By means of this arrangement the e members 23 are the only connecting links between the inertia member 17 and the housing 1 thus eliminating the acoustic coupling between the housing and the signal gongs and thereby amply protecting the gangs against manipulation by blows struck on; the housing irrespective of where the blows may be directed. Applicant however, does not limit himself to the specific means of suspending the inertia member, shown. in the drawings, for it is obvious that a great many workable modifications may be used.`

In Figs. 1 and 3 the cap 32 into which the transmitter 26 fits snugly is shown lined with a layer 33 of felt or other similar material. The cap 32 has a hole or opening 41 which is'upproximately the same sizey as the opening in the housing 1 over which the mouthpiece 34 is secured by means of screw memrs 35 which are also used to attach the cap 32 to the housing 1. In this way the acoustic coupling between the transmitter and the housing is further eliminated and also practically all the circuit noise which results from the insertion of coins in the chutes and their subsequent travel down the chutes. Mounted across the hole 41 in the cap 32 is a screen 42 ito prevent the introduction of devices throu h the transmitter entrance in the front o the housing 1.

In a telephone pay station (see Figs. 1 and 2) embodying this invention, the transmitter 26 isacoustically insulated from the housing and the coin chute and has a variable acoustic coupling with the signal, gongs.

Y A coin inserted in its proper slot i-n the coin gauge-3 mounted on the upper portion of the housing 1 travels down its proper channel in the coin chute 2 and operates either gong 7 or 8 depending upon its denomination. The vibrations set up by the gong travel through the inertia member toy the transmitter 26. The lining which separates the transmitter 26 from the inertia member determines the volume and overhang of the transmitted gong tone. Coupling members 10 prevent any of these vibrations from reaching the housing lv through the inertia member. Alsofany extraneous noise or vibrations causedy by striking the housing 1 W1ll be prevented from traveling to the inertia member by means of these couplingsv thus preventing fraudulent operation of the gongs by such means.

While the invention for the purposes of illustration` is shown in conjunction with a multi-coin telephone pay station of well known type, and the inertia member is shown in two parts for convenience in mount ing therein so that thecoin chute does not make contact with it, obviously, fork other devices the inertia member may be integralv or have any other form as inquired. The invention therefore is directed broadly to the use of an inertia member as a supporting member for the transmitter andy the signa-l gouge, the entire unit being resiliently supportedl within a suitable housing.

What is claimed is:

1. A telephone coin collector comprising'a "All housing. an inertia member therein, means for reslliently supporting said inertia.A man1- ber within said housing and ay transmittm' and a signal; gong adapted to be operated by a deposited coin supported inoperative relation onsaid inertia member;

2. A telephone coin collector comprising a housing. ani inertial membery therein, means comprising shockv absorhing'members of nonmetallic material for supporting said. inertia member within said housing` and a transmitter and zii-signal gong adapted'tobe operated by a deposited coin supported in operative relation on said inertia member.

3. A telephone coin collector comprising a housing, an inertia member therein, means comprising cushions of sponge rubber for resiliently supporting said inertia member within said housing and a transmitter and a signal gong adapted to be operated by a deposited coin supported in operative relation on said inertia member.

l. A telephone coin collector comprising a housing, an inertia member therein, means for resiliently supporting said inertia mein bei' Within said housing, a transmitter and a signal gong adapted to be operated by a deposited coin, means rigidly supporting said gong on said inertia member, and means comprising sound absorbing means for coupling said transmitter to said inertia member.

5. A telephone coin collector comprising a housing, an inertia member therein, means for resiliently supporting said inertia member within said housing, a transmitter and a signal gong adapted to be operated .by a deposited coin supported on said inertia mein.- ber and means for adjusting the acoustic coupling between said transmitter and said inertia member.

6. A telephone coin collector comprising a housing, an inertia member therein, means for resiliently supporting said inertia niem- Lil ber within said housing, a transmitter `and a signal gong adapted to be operated by a deposited coin supported on said inertia member, said transmitter suporting means comprising a depression in said inertia member, a lining of sound absorbing material therefor, and means for adjusting the acoustic coupling bet-wen said transmitter and said inertia member.

7. A telephone coin collector comprising a housing, an inertia member therein, means for resilient-ly supporting said inertia member within said housing, a transmitter and a signal gong mounted on said inertia member, a cap tor said transmitter, said cap being supported on said housing, and means acoustically insulating said cap from said transmitter. Y

8. A telephone coin collector comprising a housing, an inertia. member therein, means for resiliently supporting said inertia member within said housing, a transmitter and a signal gong mounted on said inertiamember,

a cap for said transmitter, said cap being lined with felt, and means for supporting said cap on said housing.

9. In a telephone coin collector having a housing and a coin chute, an inertia niember comprising two parts, means securing said parts together in spaced relation, means n resiliently supporting said inertia member within said housing, said chute depending from one wall of said housing between said parts of said inertia member and out of contact therewith, and a transmitter and a signal gong mounted on said inertia member.y

said gong `being so disposed with respect to said chute as to be operated by a coin or.

check travelingin said chute.

10. Telephonie apparatus comprising a housing, a kmouthpiece mounted thereon, a relatively heavy inertia member within said housing, a transmitter and signal gongs mounted on said inertia member, means to vary the acoustic coupling between said rtransmitter and said gongs and means connecting said transmitter to said mouthpiece, said means comprising means to prevent the transmission of vibrations through said. rhousing to said transmitter. 

